Barn Funnel Weaver, Common House Spider
Tegenaria domestica
Agelenidae (Funnel-web weavers), Order Araneae
Physical Description
Elongated body with a distinct, tapered oval abdomen and prominent spinnerets visible at the rear. The cephalothorax is brownish with darker lateral stripes. The body texture appears finely haired.
Size Estimate
Body length approximately 7 to 14 millimeters, with a leg span reaching up to 30 to 45 millimeters. This specimen appears to be an adult or sub-adult.
Coloration & Markings
Mottled brown, beige, and dark grey coloration. The abdomen features complex chevron or herringbone patterns down the dorsal side, while the cephalothorax displays dark longitudinal bands.
Web Type
Builds a flat, horizontal sheet web that funnels into a tubular retreat where the spider waits in ambush, typically constructed in corners, crevices, or near baseboards.
Eye Arrangement
Eight small eyes arranged in two slightly curved horizontal rows across the front of the carapace, typical of funnel-web weavers.
Leg Characteristics
Long, robust legs featuring visible spines and faint dark banding. The legs are well-adapted for rapid sprinting across webs and surfaces.
Venom & Safety Information
Venom Information
Neurotoxic venom designed to quickly immobilize small invertebrate prey. Not considered potent or medically significant to humans.
Medical Significance
Harmless to humans. Bites are extremely rare and typically only occur if the spider is directly trapped against the skin; symptoms are generally limited to minor local irritation.
Safety Recommendations
No special safety measures required. If relocation is desired, gently guide the spider into a cup using a piece of cardstock and release it outdoors.
Habitat & Behavior
Habitat & Range
Cosmopolitan distribution found worldwide in temperate regions. Prefers human-made structures such as houses, barns, cellars, and sheds, inhabiting dark, undisturbed corners.
Behavior & Temperament
Timid and fast-moving. Rushes out of its funnel retreat to capture prey hitting the sheet web, but flees rapidly when disturbed.
Diet & Prey
Generalist predator feeding on crawling and flying household insects including flies, mosquitoes, roaches, and other spiders.
Seasonal Activity
Active year-round indoors, with males frequently roaming outside their webs in late summer and autumn searching for mates.
Description
The Barn Funnel Weaver is a familiar indoor companion worldwide, frequently inhabiting the corners of basements and quiet rooms. Recognizable by its characteristic sheet web and speedy movements, it plays a beneficial role by keeping household insect populations in check.
Key Features
Prominent rear spinnerets, mottled brown chevron patterns on the abdomen, and construction of a flat funnel web in structural corners.
Similar Species
Hobo Spider (Eratigena agrestis) and Giant House Spider (Eratigena atrica), which are closely related and share very similar morphology.
Life Cycle
Females produce disc-shaped silken egg sacs hidden near the web retreat. Spiderlings emerge and disperse. Can live for several years under favorable indoor conditions.
Ecological Importance
Serves as an effective natural pest controller within human dwellings, helping to suppress populations of nuisance insects.
Conservation Status
Not evaluated by the IUCN, highly secure and widespread due to successful commensalism with human habitats.
Interesting Facts
Despite their intimidating speed, these spiders have very poor eyesight and rely almost entirely on vibrations transmitted through their web to detect prey.
Photography Tips
Use a macro lens with adequate lighting. Photograph from a slight side angle to capture the body patterns and spinnerets clearly without disturbing the spider.
Identified: 2026-10-01T19:56:45.310609